The Vice-Consul Doughty-Wylie to Sir G. Lowther.
I HAVE the honour to report the following in continuation of my letter of yesterday:
Mr. Lawson Chambers set out for Hadjin. I received your Excellency’s telegram allowing his travelling expenses up to 15 l.I gave him this money and also 100 l.from the Relief Fund, with instructions to form a Sub-Committee at Hadjin. I also asked him for Reports from that district and, if possible, from Zeitoun.
Received news that Dr. Sheppard, of Aintab, had arrived safely at Baghshe, and, as President of the Relief Committee, I sent him a telegram asking if he found himself secure there (and his safety is guaranteed by Mehemet Ali Bey) he would like to stay and do relief work in Baghshe and Hassanbeyli. I know from the Report submitted yesterday that both these places have been practically destroyed. I offered to send Dr. Sheppard 50 l..
I also sent 50 l. to M. Sabatier, of Hamidieh, as I heard yesterday his factory was full of refugees. An appeal came from Marrash, where they say some of the refugees from Osmanieh and Baghshe have found their way; 50 l. goes to Marrash.
The Relief Fund received 1,070 l. from Mr. Peet, of Constantinople. We fed 14,582 people in the Yeni Mahalla camp to-day.
I received a visit from an officer of the Italian war-ship, who came to ask if they could be of service to the Committee. I believe they are very kindly raising funds in Italy to help us. I asked them to nominate a member on the Central Committee if a prominent Italian subject could be found in Adana.
The German war-ship “Hamburg” leaves to-day. The Relief Committee sent them a telegram of gratitude for the splendid work they have done here. They have fed about 5,000 for fifteen days with the able assistance of M. Stöckel, and their surgeon had done excellent work.
M. Grabowski, of the Imperial Ottoman Bank, a member of the Committee, has kindly undertaken to keep accounts. Subscriptions will be acknowledged in the press from time to time.
I received a visit from the Captain of the Austrian war-ship and his officers. They visited my wife's hospital, and their dragoman, M. Simeonoglou, has kindly placed at her disposal his large house, now empty, for a hospital. This will make hospital work much easier.
I am trying for the Relief Committee to obtain permission to send escorts for refugee women from Missis, &c., whose breadwinners have all been killed, and who are in a most miserable condition. They can be better looked after among their own relations in Adana. The Vali takes curious views of his responsibilities. The Director of the Ottoman Bank told me to-day that he visited the Vali to ask for some protection for the bank against fire. The fires were at that time raging in the city. The Vali replied that there was no danger at all, that nothing under his protection could be burnt. When the Director insisted that there was danger, as the bank might catch fire from neighbouring houses, the Vali said in that case he could not be responsible.
This evening the Vali and Ferik visited the Yeni Mahalla together. The Vali made a short speech assuring the people of safety. One of them replied that the thing had been said last night; that over 200 men had gone to Ham, and that they were shut in by the police and were starving. This was perfectly true, only it happened to reach my ears, and I had got it altered by means of an able Turkish officer, and the hanji in question imprisoned. The Vali was able to point to this imprisonment as an evidence of good faith.
A new explanation was given me to-day of the second massacre, which I have never been able to understand. It occurred on the night of the arrival of the Roumeliot troops, who have been accused of having caused it. I never did believe this, and the explanation now given is of some interest to me. The Roumeliots had only become acquainted with that part of the town between the station and their camping ground. Of the Armenian quarter they knew nothing. The explanation is that they were pitching tents on their camping ground when shots fell among them from the direction of the Armenian quarter; they were told that these shots were fired by the Armenian revolutionaries. Parties were hurried off into the streets, but all was in confusion and fires were breaking out. They found some of the other soldiers both killing and .looting and the place full of Bashi-Bozouks. It became necessary to clear the streets, which was very difficult for them in the narrow and bewildering alleys, more especially as they did not know who were friends and who were enemies. In the part of the town they did know order, after the first five minutes, was strictly maintained and there were no fires. The shots fired at them which started the whole affair are said now by some of the Roumeliots to have been fired by Turks either with the wish to bring about a quarrel between the different sorts of soldiers or to raise more hope to rush the hated Armenian quarter. I believe the uncomfortable feeling resting on Roumeliot officers for this most unfortunate occurrence is something to do with their eagerness to prove the existence of a revolutionary plot among the Armenians, and I give this explanation for what it is worth.